Landfill will get new recycling center

Published: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at 04:49 PM.

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GRAHAM — A new 8,000-square-foot recycling processing facility will be built at the Alamance County landfill this year.

Greg Thomas, county landfill manager, discussed the project with the Alamance County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday. The new recycling facility will take up to six months to complete. Alley Williams Carmen and King Inc. was selected to plan, design, and oversee construction. The commissioners agreed to allow Thomas to move forward with the project.

“We can support the project with our enterprise fund without using tax dollars,” Thomas said. “The time is right to get favorable bids on the construction phase.”

Thomas said the landfill’s current year budget provides $300,000 for the project. He said the landfill could spend more on the project if necessary but final costs will remain undetermined until the bid process is completed.

“We have reached a threshold with our recycling program where we don’t have the space we need here,” Thomas said. “We want our program to continue to grow with the county.”

Thomas said the facility will extend the life of the landfill. He sent a memo to the commissioners on January 4 highlighting the project.

“The landfill is proposing to construct a pre-engineered metal building to serve as a recycling processing facility at the landfill,” the memo stated. “As you know, recycling is an integral function of the landfill operation, generating more than 19,725 tons of recyclables resulting in sales of more than $788,000 during the past five years while increasing more than 50 percent in the past two years.”

GRAHAM — A new 8,000-square-foot recycling processing facility will be built at the Alamance County landfill this year.

Greg Thomas, county landfill manager, discussed the project with the Alamance County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday. The new recycling facility will take up to six months to complete. Alley Williams Carmen and King Inc. was selected to plan, design, and oversee construction. The commissioners agreed to allow Thomas to move forward with the project.

“We can support the project with our enterprise fund without using tax dollars,” Thomas said. “The time is right to get favorable bids on the construction phase.”

Thomas said the landfill’s current year budget provides $300,000 for the project. He said the landfill could spend more on the project if necessary but final costs will remain undetermined until the bid process is completed.

“We have reached a threshold with our recycling program where we don’t have the space we need here,” Thomas said. “We want our program to continue to grow with the county.”

Thomas said the facility will extend the life of the landfill. He sent a memo to the commissioners on January 4 highlighting the project.

“The landfill is proposing to construct a pre-engineered metal building to serve as a recycling processing facility at the landfill,” the memo stated. “As you know, recycling is an integral function of the landfill operation, generating more than 19,725 tons of recyclables resulting in sales of more than $788,000 during the past five years while increasing more than 50 percent in the past two years.”

Recyclables including cardboard, newspaper, glass bottles, aluminum cans, and plastics would continue to be collected through the drop sites located in Pleasant Grove, Danieley Waterwheel Road, and the landfill once the new facility opens.

The landfill’s e-waste recycling program would be consolidated into the new facility.

“This larger indoor facility would allow us to better manage the storage, marketing, and competitive price selling of these baled commodities in bulk as opposed to the current smaller piece meal loads of lesser volume,” the memo stated.

The facility would also allow the landfill to better manage the 150,000 scrap tires it receives annually, according to Thomas. During closed hours, the facility would be used as a parking garage for vehicles including trucks, fork lifts, and a riding mower.